


Apricot Jam

by littlelooneyluna



Category: robron
Genre: M/M, Old robron are cute, this is like so nothing-y but hey ho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-08
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-02-28 17:16:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18760885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/littlelooneyluna/pseuds/littlelooneyluna
Summary: They’re old and grey but Aaron learns something new about him every day





	Apricot Jam

**Author's Note:**

> Can we all applaud for the way I made the summary rhyme without meaning to. I’m a poet and all that. Anyways this was dedicated to a dear mutual of mine on tumblr and is really nothing but happy reading!

 

 

The flowers Seb’s bought are wilting day by day, they’re dropping, falling, tilted slightly and yet they keep their colour. 

It warms Aaron at first, seeing them alive like that in this really easy way. He knows Robert would call him soft, if Robert would just wake up and tell him. 

He’s been working himself too hard, still attempting to do the things he could when he was in his early thirties. He can’t keep up with Aaron, no one’s asking him to, but he has his insecurities and that’s why they’ve ended up in here.

Aaron grips hold of Robert’s hand, squeezes tightly until a few hours have gone by and Robert’s green eyes are opening for him. 

Soft, alert but hidden at the same time and making Aaron’s knees go weak. Still. 

Aaron’s shoulders sag, he thinks of Liv and Seb outside, thinks of their other kids in the cafe worrying their heads off about their stupid dad. “Oi.” He whispers, he leans out when Robert panics. “You’ve checked yourself into hospital with all your stupidness.”

He smiles, eyes filling with tears that fall a little and he isn’t sure how he’s supposed to catch his breath when Robert smiles lazily at him.

“Sorry.” He humbles, light radiating off the walls and pooling over his ageing complexion. His freckles stand out more now, they’re light and dark and Aaron still counts them.

Still.

“I wasn’t ready.” Aaron dips his head, voice low and steady and filled with something neither of them ever want to talk about. They shouldn’t have to, Aaron’s spent a long time hating the fact that all of this could just end for them.

One slip, one bump to the head, one little thing and that’s them pulled away from each other.

“You’re not meant to be.” Robert mumbles, slightly indignant and making Aaron smile for just a second. Robert skates a hand up, reaches out for Aaron’s and holds them up together just to stare at his wedding band. “I’m fine.”

“You’re a nightmare.” Aaron gets out. “Been waiting for nearly two days.”

Robert smiles warmly again, and Aaron’s never going to be over the gentle softness that Robert has about him now. He’s content, he’s happy and it almost radiates from him.

Soft hair paling, eyes brighter than they have been in years. 

Aaron’s.

“I’ll slow down.” Robert reasons, he says it like he knows it’s for the best and not because he wants to. It gets Aaron giving him the smallest look. “I want to spend more time with you and the kids anyway.”

Aaron blinks warmly and scrapes his chair towards Robert. He holds their hands together tighter, kisses down on Robert’s knuckles and closes his eyes. 

“Aren’t we the lucky ones.”

“Too right.” Robert clears his throat, coughs half his lungs out and Aaron stands to fluff his pillows, lay him flatter, kiss his forehead. 

He worries, stretches the years out between them like rope and dangles across it like a menace. He sees himself and then he sees Robert behind him, struggling, and he hates the world.

He knows him, in and out, every single way he can. They’ve had a life, a whole life filled with ups and downs but the thought of it collapsing around them is terrifying.

He thinks of them surviving into their late nineties, the fact that they could have nearly twenty more years of this.

He hopes, wishes.

“Yes, apricot jam is so much better than strawberry.” Robert says, a day later, eyes brighter and sitting propped up in bed with a smile on his face.

Aaron looks up from the chair, eyes casting to the forgotten newspaper Robert was glued to and tilts his head. “You think so?” He whispers.

Robert just looks at him funny and nods. 

It makes Aaron smile to think that he’s still learning things about Robert, even after all these years. 

Maybe a lump forms in his throat when he tells Robert he loves him. Maybe he kisses him a little longer than usual. 

You’ll never be ready to lose him, rings in his mind.

“I love you too.” Robert says.

And that worry melts.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
